


Burning Sage

by ladymdc



Series: Something to believe in. [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Attempt at Humor, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Pregnancy, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 04:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14394294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladymdc/pseuds/ladymdc
Summary: The Rutherford’s host a BBQ for friends and family over Independence Day weekend.*insert Ferelden flag here*





	Burning Sage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Absinthiana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absinthiana/gifts).



> A prompt from the wonderful [absinthianajones](https://absinthianajones.tumblr.com)
> 
> Include the word “egregious” in someone’s dialogue and burn something that’s important to a major character

During gatherings, they tended to drift apart, which was all well and good. They lived together. It wasn’t like Evelyn wouldn’t have the opportunity catch up with Cullen later, but they usually at least ate together, and doing so without him made her a little sad. 

Stupid hormones. 

Evelyn pushed the remainder of her meal forward and leaned back in the chair, uselessly rubbing at the burning sensation in her chest. 

A little furrow cropped up between Alistair’s brows. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She waved off his concern before resting her interlocked hands on the swell of her stomach. “Just some heartburn. Nothing new.”

The concern etched into his features only increased as his mouth skewed off to one side. “Still, we should get you something for it.”

“I’ll make my way inside eventually for a refill and grab something then.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Dorian interjected. Cole slowly nodded his head in sagely agreement. 

“Right.” Alistair lifted his napkin and quickly wiped off his hands and mouth. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Oh no, really I’m fi—“ 

“Shhhh,” Alistair interrupted as he mashed a finger into her lips. 

Swatting him away, Evelyn giggled. “I’m not an invalid.” 

“No, your not,” Cullen said. She felt herself perk up at the sound of his voice. His hand, warm and comforting, wrapped around her shoulder. He lightly squeezed as he stepped in between her and Alistair, effectively stopping her sad attempts at trying to twist around to lay eyes on him. “But the doctor told you to take it easy,” he reminded, eyes softly accusing as mouth quirked up into a tiny, teasing smirk. 

Holding his hand in place a moment, Evelyn accepted the fact she was fighting a losing battle. “Alright, alright,” she sighed. “I’ll keep my fat ass in this chair.” 

“Ugh. Shut up. You’re pregnant, not fat.” Dorian lobbed a chunk of strawberry at her. It bounced off her left tit and landed in the grass. 

Dante ate it.

Evelyn frowned. “You missed my mouth.” 

Alistair choked on his beer. Chuckling, Cullen slapped his friend’s back through the following coughing fit. 

Biting his lip in concentration, Dorian aimed this time. Evelyn opened wide and angled her head in preparation. 

Then received a sharp slap on her left her arm. 

Evelyn shot her friend a quick exasperated look, but not quick enough. The berry hit her on the side of the face and met the same fate as the first. A little disbelieving laugh escaped her. 

“What in the Void, Sera? I wanted to eat that.” 

“Mosquito. I got the fucker too.” The elf held her hand up and pointed at the little smear of blood in the center of her palm.

“Ughhhhhh. I hate mosquitoes,” Evelyn whined. Cullen’s hand lovingly smoothed over her stomach before settling on top of her bump. Glancing over, she was pleased to note he had dragged the chair Alistair had abandoned closer and seemed content to stay put.

“Don’t fret, Inky. I brought a bundle of sage to toss into the fire. Smells good and ‘squitos hate it.” Sera was nothing if not a genius when it came to the chemical makeup of… well everything, and she was many things, but a liar was not one of them. 

Evelyn quirked a leading brow. “Well, then what are you waiting for?”

Sera tipped her chin at Cullen. “For him to say we can set off fireworks now.” 

He let out a long-suffering, put-out sigh. “Fine. Just… be careful.” 

“He said yes!” The elf shot up so quickly from the table that the chair she was in knocked over backward. She left it. Rummaging around in the bag on her hip, Sera set off toward the opposite side of the yard at a dead sprint. On her way past the firepit, she tossed in a bundle of leaves. 

Evelyn couldn’t help but giggle when she heard an answering “Yessssss!” from Bull and Hawke.

“I’m going to regret this,” Cullen observed gravely. 

“It’ll be fine,” she assured, tangling their fingers together atop her stomach. “I put up a barrier around the house and shed. We won’t end up homeless.” 

“Are you feeling alright?” 

Confused, Evelyn sat up a little straighter. “About the same as usual, why do you ask?”

Cullen regarded her seriously. “You’ve had several contractions in the past few minutes.”

“It’s just Braxton Hicks,” she dismissed airly. 

Dorian gave her a sympathetic look. “Are you sure?”

“... No,” she admitted reluctantly. 

“Maker’s breath, Ev.” 

The way he looked at her, the soft worry deepening his voice, sent guilt and sudden fear twisting through her gut. “Cullen, maybe we - ” 

An alarmingly close, deafening  _ bang _ cut her off. 

Her hand shot up to cover her mouth for a variety of reasons. Least concerning was the sight of the Ferelden flag burning due to a rogue firework. Granted, it  _ was _ the flag given to Cullen when he left the Order, so she should care, but there were bigger problems at hand. 

“Oh, fuck,” Cullen swore succinctly, waving both arms in exasperated defeat. 

“Well, that is an egregious turn of events,” Dorian grimaced. 

“I’m about to make it worse,” Evelyn managed. The following silence was oppressive and Evelyn could feel everyone’s eyes on her. Across from her, Dorian’s hand slowly moved up to cover the excited smile crinkling around the corners of his eyes. She knew her face resembled something akin to horrified shock and that it was only making everything worse for her poor husband, but it was like her brain was stuck.

His golden skin had paled several shades and Cullen seemed frozen in place. It was not a comforting reaction. “What do you mean?”

“Everything is fine.” The words came out in a breathless rush, but they didn’t diffuse the situation. 

At all. 

“But we need to go.” Evelyn pointed over at Cole who had her hospital go bag slung over one shoulder and was holding her car keys up for emphasis. 

“What?” Cullen croaked.

“My water just broke.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to [WindySuspirations](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindySuspirations) for bouncing ideas around with me on this prompt <3 You were a tremendous help!
> 
>   
>  (Sage)   
> 


End file.
